Codependency

Codependency is a controversiaw concept[1] for a dysfunctionaw hewping rewationship where one person supports or enabwes anoder person's addiction, poor mentaw heawf, immaturity, irresponsibiwity, or under-achievement.[2] Among de core characteristics of codependency, de most common deme is an excessive rewiance on oder peopwe for approvaw and a sense of identity.[2]
Given its grassroots origin, de precise definition of codependency varies based on de source but can be generawwy characterized as a subcwinicaw and situationaw or episodic behavior simiwar to dat of dependent personawity disorder, but de term is wess diagnosis and more of a description of a rewationship dynamic.[2] In its broadest definition, a codependent is someone who cannot function from deir innate sewf and whose dinking and behavior is instead organized around anoder person, or even a process, or substance.[3] In dis context, peopwe who are addicted to a substance, wike drugs, or a process, wike gambwing or sex, can awso be considered codependent. In its most narrow definition, it reqwires one person to be physicawwy or psychowogicawwy addicted, such as to heroin, and de second person to be psychowogicawwy dependent on dat behavior.[4] Some users of de codependency concept use de word as an awternative to using de concept of dysfunctionaw famiwies, widout statements dat cwassify it as a disease.[5]

According to disabiwity studies speciawist Lennard J. Davis, historicawwy, de concept of co-dependence "comes directwy out of Awcohowics Anonymous, part of a dawning reawization dat de probwem was not sowewy de addict, but awso de famiwy and friends who constitute a network for de awcohowic."[6] "Whiwe not an actuaw diagnosis, de term “codependent” was first used to describe how famiwy members of individuaws wif substance abuse issues might actuawwy interfere wif recovery by overhewping."[7]
It was subseqwentwy broadened to cover de way "dat de codependent person is fixated on anoder person for approvaw, sustenance, and so on, uh-hah-hah-hah."[6] The concept of codependency overwaps wif, but devewoped in de mainstream independentwy from, de owder psychoanawytic concept of de passive dependent personawity which is attaching onesewf to a stronger personawity.[8] "Dependency" is weww-estabwished in psychowogicaw witerature. Whereas earwy on psychoanawytic deory emphasized de oraw character and structuraw basis of dependency, sociaw wearning deory considered a tendency to be acqwired by wearning and experience, and edowogicaw attachment deory posited dat attachment or affectionaw bonding is de basis for dependency. Aww dree deories have contributed to de concept of dependent personawity disorder as defined by de Diagnostic and Statisticaw Manuaw of Mentaw Disorders (DSM) of de American Psychiatric Association. The definition and criteria have changed in de different versions of de DSM. In DSM-I, passive dependency personawity was characterized by hewpwessness, deniaw, and indecisiveness, and was considered a subtype of passive-aggressive personawity. By DSM-IV, dere were nine criteria wif an essentiaw feature of a pervasive or wifetime pattern of dependent and submissive behavior. The DSM-IV definition emphasized de excessive need to be taken care of, weading to submissive and cwinging behavior and fear of separation, uh-hah-hah-hah.[9]

The codependency movement may have its roots in de deories of German psychoanawyst Karen Horney. In 1941, she proposed dat some peopwe adopt what she termed a "Moving Toward" personawity stywe to overcome deir basic anxiety. Essentiawwy, dese peopwe move toward oders by gaining deir approvaw and affection, and subconsciouswy controw dem drough deir dependent stywe. They are unsewfish, virtuous, martyr-wike, faidfuw, and turn de oder cheek despite personaw humiwiation, uh-hah-hah-hah. Approvaw from oders is more important dan respecting demsewves.[10]Aw-Anon was formed in 1951, 16 years after Awcohowics Anonymous was founded.[11] Aw-Anon howds de view dat awcohowism is a famiwy iwwness[12] and is one of de earwiest recognitions of codependency.

The expansion of de meaning of codependency happened very pubwicwy.[13]Janet G. Woititz'sAduwt Chiwdren of Awcohowics had come out in 1983 and sowd two miwwion copies whiwe being on de New York Times bestsewwer wist for 48 weeks.[13]Robin Norwood's Women Who Love Too Much, 1985, sowd two and a hawf miwwion copies and spawned Twewve Step groups across de country for women "addicted" to men, uh-hah-hah-hah.[13]Mewody Beattie popuwarized de concept of codependency in 1986 wif de book Codependent No More which sowd eight miwwion copies.[14] In 1986, Timmen Cermak, M.D. wrote Diagnosing and Treating Co-Dependence: A Guide for Professionaws. In de book and an articwe pubwished in de Journaw of Psychoactive Drugs (Vowume 18, Issue 1, 1986), Cermak argued (unsuccessfuwwy) for de incwusion of codependency as a separate personawity disorder in de Diagnostic and Statisticaw Manuaw of Mentaw Disorders (DSM-III-R; American Psychiatric Association, 1987).[15] Cermak's book paved de way for a Twewve-step take-off program, cawwed Co-Dependents Anonymous.[16] The first Co-Dependents Anonymous meeting was hewd October 22, 1986.[16]

Mainstream psychowogicaw scientists have qwestioned de vawidity of de codependency construct as a form of pseudoscientific "psychobabbwe"[17], and its scientific status remains uncertain, uh-hah-hah-hah.

Codependency does not refer to aww caring behavior or feewings, but onwy dose dat are excessive to an unheawdy degree.[18] One of de distinctions is dat heawdy empady and caregiving is motivated by conscious choice; whereas for codependents, deir actions are compuwsive, and dey usuawwy aren't abwe to weigh in de conseqwences of dem or deir own needs dat dey're sacrificing.[citation needed] Some schowars and treatment providers feew dat codependency is an overresponsibiwity and dat overresponsibiwity needs to be understood as a positive impuwse gone awry. Responsibiwity for rewationships wif oders needs to coexist wif responsibiwity to sewf.[19]

Codependency has been referred to as de disease of a wost sewf.[3][20] Codependent rewationships are marked by intimacy probwems, dependency, controw (incwuding caretaking) deniaw, dysfunctionaw communication and boundaries, and high reactivity. Often, dere is imbawance, so one person is abusive or in controw or supports or enabwes anoder person's addiction, poor mentaw heawf, immaturity, irresponsibiwity, or under-achievement.[21] Some codependents often find demsewves in rewationships where deir primary rowe is dat of rescuer, supporter, and confidante. These hewper types are often dependent on de oder person's poor functioning to satisfy deir own emotionaw needs.[2] Many codependents pwace a wower priority on deir own needs, whiwe being excessivewy preoccupied wif de needs of oders. Codependency can occur in any type of rewationship, incwuding famiwy, work, friendship, and awso romantic, peer or community rewationships.[22]

In a codependent rewationship, de codependent's sense of purpose is based on making extreme sacrifices to satisfy deir partner's needs. Codependent rewationships signify a degree of unheawdy "cwinginess", where one person does not have sewf-sufficiency or autonomy. One or bof parties depend on deir woved one for fuwfiwwment.[24]

Borderwine personawity disorder – dere is a tendency for woved ones of peopwe wif borderwine personawity disorder (BPD) to swip into "caretaker" rowes, giving priority and focus to probwems in de wife of de person wif BPD rader dan to issues in deir own wives. Too often in dese kinds of rewationships, de codependent wiww gain a sense of worf by being "de sane one" or "de responsibwe one".[25]

Narcissistic personawity disorder – codependents of narcissists are sometimes cawwed co-narcissists.[26] Narcissists, wif deir abiwity to get oders to "buy into deir vision" and hewp dem make it a reawity, seek and attract partners who wiww put oders' needs before deir own, uh-hah-hah-hah.[27] Codependents can provide de narcissist wif an obedient and attentive audience — de perfect backdrop for a sewf-absorbed narcissist.[28] Among de reciprocawwy interwocking interactions of de pair are de narcissist's overpowering need to feew important and speciaw and de co-dependent person's strong need to hewp oders feew dat way.

In de dysfunctionaw famiwy de chiwd wearns to become attuned to de parent's needs and feewings instead of de oder way around.[21] Parenting is a rowe dat reqwires a certain amount of sewf-sacrifice and giving a chiwd's needs a high priority. A parent can, neverdewess, be codependent towards deir own chiwdren if de caretaking or parentaw sacrifice reaches unheawdy or destructive wevews.[22] Generawwy, a parent who takes care of deir own needs (emotionaw and physicaw) in a heawdy way wiww be a better caretaker, whereas a codependent parent may be wess effective, or may even do harm to a chiwd.[22] Codependent rewationships often manifest drough enabwing behaviors, especiawwy between parents and deir chiwdren, uh-hah-hah-hah. [30] Anoder way to wook at it is dat de needs of an infant are necessary but temporary, whereas de needs of de codependent are constant. Chiwdren of codependent parents who ignore or negate deir own feewings may become codependent.

Not aww mentaw heawf professionaws agree about standard medods of treatment.[31] Caring for an individuaw wif a physicaw addiction is not necessariwy treating a padowogy. The caregiver may onwy reqwire assertiveness skiwws and de abiwity to pwace responsibiwity for de addiction on de oder.[18][32] There are various recovery pads for individuaws who struggwe wif codependency. For exampwe, some may choose cognitive-behavioraw psychoderapy, sometimes accompanied by chemicaw derapy for accompanying depression, uh-hah-hah-hah. There awso exist support groups for codependency, such as Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA), Aw-Anon/Awateen, Nar-Anon, and Aduwt Chiwdren of Awcohowics (ACoA), which are based on de twewve-step program modew of Awcohowics Anonymous and Cewebrate Recovery a Christian, Bibwe-based group.[33] Many sewf-hewp guides have been written on de subject of codependency.

Sometimes an individuaw can, in attempts to recover from codependency, go from being overwy passive or overwy giving to being overwy aggressive or excessivewy sewfish.[18] Many derapists maintain dat finding a bawance drough heawdy assertiveness (which weaves room for being a caring person and awso engaging in heawdy caring behavior) is true recovery from codependency and dat becoming extremewy sewfish, a buwwy, or an oderwise confwict-addicted person is not.[18][32] Devewoping a permanent stance of being a victim (having a victim mentawity) wouwd awso not constitute true recovery from codependency and couwd be anoder exampwe of going from one extreme to anoder.[18] A victim mentawity couwd awso be seen as a part of one's originaw state of codependency (wack of empowerment causing one to feew wike de "subject" of events rader dan being an empowered actor).[18] Someone truwy recovered from codependency wouwd feew empowered and wike an audor of deir wife and actions rader dan being at de mercy of outside forces.[18] A victim mentawity may awso occur in combination wif passive–aggressive controw issues.[18] From de perspective of moving beyond victim-hood, de capacity to forgive and wet go (wif exception of cases of very severe abuse) couwd awso be signs of reaw recovery from codependency, but de wiwwingness to endure furder abuse wouwd not.[18]

Some schowars bewieve dat codependency is not a negative trait, and does not need to be treated, as it is more wikewy a heawdy personawity trait taken to excess. Codependency in noncwinicaw popuwations has some winks wif favourabwe characteristics of famiwy functioning.[35]Stan Katz states dat codependence is over-diagnosed, and dat many peopwe who couwd be hewped wif shorter-term treatments instead become dependent on wong-term sewf-hewp programs.[36] The wanguage of, symptoms of, and treatment for codependence derive from de medicaw modew suggesting a disease process underwies de behavior. However, dere is no evidence dat codependence is caused by a disease process.[citation needed]

In deir book, “Attached.”, Dr. Amir Levine and Rachew S. F. Hewwer, address what dey caww de “codependency myf” by asserting dat attachment deory is a more scientific and hewpfuw modew for understanding and deawing wif attachment in aduwts.[37]

^ abcTravis, Trish (2009). The Language of de Heart, A Cuwturaw History of de Recovery Movement from Awcohowics Anonymous to Oprah Winfrey. Chapew Hiww, N.C.: University of Norf Carowina Press. p. 168. ISBN978-0-8078-3319-3.